PUNCTUATION CHECK
Identify and correct the errors in the entries below.
"Too much offence, too much defence, too much power on the serve."
Mary Caton, "Amherst captures 4th title in a row", The Windsor Star, Friday, February 27, 2009.
"They play good defence, they can hit."
Mary Caton, "Amherst captures 4th title in a row", The Windsor Star, Friday, February 27, 2009.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "cognition".
Define "cognition".
What part of speech is "cognition"?
Use "cognition" in a sentence that displays its meaning.
CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS
Corrections and explanations for this week's entries will be published on Sunday.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Thursday, February 26, 2009
A TO C
APPRAISE/APPRISE
Explain the difference in meaning between "appraise" and "apprise".
What part of speech is "appraise"?
What part of speech is "apprise"?
Create sentences that show the meaning of each word.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "cadaverous".
What part of speech is "cadaverous"?
Define "cadaverous" and use it in a sentence.
Explain the difference in meaning between "appraise" and "apprise".
What part of speech is "appraise"?
What part of speech is "apprise"?
Create sentences that show the meaning of each word.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "cadaverous".
What part of speech is "cadaverous"?
Define "cadaverous" and use it in a sentence.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
INTERESTING CHALLENGES
WHENEVER/WHEN
What part of speech is "when"?
What part of speech is "whenever"?
Identify and explain the correct and incorrect uses of the terms "when" and "whenever".
Create sentences using both words correctly.
BLOG RATIONALE
Think about the following quote and try to identify its author.
“Stupid is forever, ignorance can be fixed.”
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "flaccid".
What part of speech is "flaccid"?
Use "flaccid" in a sentence that clearly exhibits its meaning.
What part of speech is "when"?
What part of speech is "whenever"?
Identify and explain the correct and incorrect uses of the terms "when" and "whenever".
Create sentences using both words correctly.
BLOG RATIONALE
Think about the following quote and try to identify its author.
“Stupid is forever, ignorance can be fixed.”
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "flaccid".
What part of speech is "flaccid"?
Use "flaccid" in a sentence that clearly exhibits its meaning.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
MULTIPLE CHALLENGE DAY
THE USUAL
Fix the errors in the following. Be sure to be able to explain each.
"It was a night beyond friends and family and his fellow officials, went mostly unnoticed among the hockey world, but Pare recognizes that's when an official is at their best.
When nobody remembers who they are."
Bob Duff, "Pare likes to work unnoticed", The Windsor Star, Tuesday, February 24, 2009.
TODAY'S WORD
Today's word is "extricable".
What part of speech is "extricable"?
Define "extricable" and use it in a sentence.
Fix the errors in the following. Be sure to be able to explain each.
"It was a night beyond friends and family and his fellow officials, went mostly unnoticed among the hockey world, but Pare recognizes that's when an official is at their best.
When nobody remembers who they are."
Bob Duff, "Pare likes to work unnoticed", The Windsor Star, Tuesday, February 24, 2009.
TODAY'S WORD
Today's word is "extricable".
What part of speech is "extricable"?
Define "extricable" and use it in a sentence.
Monday, February 23, 2009
A COMMON MISTAKE
GONE/WENT
Explain the difference between the words "gone" and "went".
What part of speech is each?
Create two sentences that clearly show the meaning for each word.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "poignant".
Define "poignant" and use it in a sentence.
What part of speech is "poignant"?
Change "poignant" to another part of speech and use it in a sentence.
Explain the difference between the words "gone" and "went".
What part of speech is each?
Create two sentences that clearly show the meaning for each word.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "poignant".
Define "poignant" and use it in a sentence.
What part of speech is "poignant"?
Change "poignant" to another part of speech and use it in a sentence.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS - February 22, 2009
Here are the corrections and explanations for last week's entries.
Tuesday
VERBS
1. Define "verb"?
A verb is a word that expresses action or being.
2. What is a "transitive" verb?
A transitive verb is one that can take an object.
Transitive means to go across, so the action of the verb goes across to the object.
An object answers the question, “What?” after the verb.
“The man shot the rodent.”
Rodent answers the question “what” after the verb shot, so it is the object of the verb.
3. What is an "intransitive" verb?
An intransitive verb does not take an object. Intransitive means not transitive so no action goes across from the verb.
An intransitive verb is one that does not take an object.
“The storm raged during the night.”
The question “what?” is not answered after the verb raged, so there is no object.
The use of a verb in a sentence determines whether it is transitive or intransitive.
4. What is a "copula" verb?
A "copula" verb expresses being.
Copula verbs do not express action but link or join or couple a completing word with the subject. The completing word can be a noun or an adjective.
“The river was swift.”
The verb “was” has no action and expresses being.
“Swift” is an adjective that refers back to, or couples to, the subject “river”.
Wednesday
VERB FORMS
What is a "verb phrase"?
A verb that consists of two or more words is called a verb phrase.
Define a "principal" verb.
The word in a verb phrase that expresses the main idea is the principal verb.
Define an "auxiliary" verb.
The helping word or words in a verb phrase is called the auxiliary verb.
“I have never seen the ocean.”
The verb phrase is “have seen”.
“The birds have been flying south lately.”
The verb phrase is “have been flying”.
“Provincial police are finally wearing good looking hats.”
The verb phrase is “are wearing”.
Thursday
TENSES
Define "tense" relative to verb usage?
“Tense” refers to the change in the form of a verb to express a change in time.
“Tense” refers to time as past, present or future.
“Simple tenses" of verbs are the most common and basic form.
“I see”, “I saw” and “I shall see” are the present, past and future tenses of the verb “to see”.
Explain and give examples of "perfect tense" of verbs.
“Perfect tenses” use auxiliary verbs to indicate completed actions.
“Present perfect tenses" indicate an action which has been completed in a time very close to the present. Auxiliary verbs “have” or “has” must be used with the principal verb.
“I have finished my work.”
“Past perfect tenses” indicate an action which was completed prior to another time or another action. The auxiliary verb “had” is used.
“I had finished my work before I went out to play.”
“Future perfect tenses” indicate an action which will be completed before some point of time in the future. The auxiliary verbs “shall have” and “will have” are the auxiliary verbs which must be used.
“He will have finished his work by noon tomorrow.”
Friday
VERBS - ACTIVE & PASSIVE VOICE
“Active voice” refers to a sentence in which the subject is the doer of the action.
“He shoots the fantastic monster with his ray gun.”
“He shot the fantastic monster with his water pistol.”
“He will shoot the fantastic monster with something else because it is still alive.”
“Passive voice” refers to a sentence in which the subject is the receiver of the action.
Only transitive verbs can be changed to passive voice because the object does the action.
“He is shot by the fantastic monster when he raises his head.”
“He was shot by the fantastic monster because he was careless.”
“He will be shot again by the fantastic monster if he tries to run.”
WORTH REMEMBERING
“It is only the ignorant who despise education.”
Publilius Syrus, circa 100 BC, created this phrase.
LAST WEEK’S WORDS
“Languorous” (adj.) means lazy, sleepy, dreamy or lethargic.
“Integrity” (n.) refers to honesty, honour, veracity or truth.
“Susceptible” (adj.) means vulnerable, at risk, prone to or predisposed.
“Scathe” (v.) means to attack with severe criticism, to hurt, to harm or to injure. The word is usually seen in the present participial form of “scathing”, as in a scathing glance.
Tuesday
VERBS
1. Define "verb"?
A verb is a word that expresses action or being.
2. What is a "transitive" verb?
A transitive verb is one that can take an object.
Transitive means to go across, so the action of the verb goes across to the object.
An object answers the question, “What?” after the verb.
“The man shot the rodent.”
Rodent answers the question “what” after the verb shot, so it is the object of the verb.
3. What is an "intransitive" verb?
An intransitive verb does not take an object. Intransitive means not transitive so no action goes across from the verb.
An intransitive verb is one that does not take an object.
“The storm raged during the night.”
The question “what?” is not answered after the verb raged, so there is no object.
The use of a verb in a sentence determines whether it is transitive or intransitive.
4. What is a "copula" verb?
A "copula" verb expresses being.
Copula verbs do not express action but link or join or couple a completing word with the subject. The completing word can be a noun or an adjective.
“The river was swift.”
The verb “was” has no action and expresses being.
“Swift” is an adjective that refers back to, or couples to, the subject “river”.
Wednesday
VERB FORMS
What is a "verb phrase"?
A verb that consists of two or more words is called a verb phrase.
Define a "principal" verb.
The word in a verb phrase that expresses the main idea is the principal verb.
Define an "auxiliary" verb.
The helping word or words in a verb phrase is called the auxiliary verb.
“I have never seen the ocean.”
The verb phrase is “have seen”.
“The birds have been flying south lately.”
The verb phrase is “have been flying”.
“Provincial police are finally wearing good looking hats.”
The verb phrase is “are wearing”.
Thursday
TENSES
Define "tense" relative to verb usage?
“Tense” refers to the change in the form of a verb to express a change in time.
“Tense” refers to time as past, present or future.
“Simple tenses" of verbs are the most common and basic form.
“I see”, “I saw” and “I shall see” are the present, past and future tenses of the verb “to see”.
Explain and give examples of "perfect tense" of verbs.
“Perfect tenses” use auxiliary verbs to indicate completed actions.
“Present perfect tenses" indicate an action which has been completed in a time very close to the present. Auxiliary verbs “have” or “has” must be used with the principal verb.
“I have finished my work.”
“Past perfect tenses” indicate an action which was completed prior to another time or another action. The auxiliary verb “had” is used.
“I had finished my work before I went out to play.”
“Future perfect tenses” indicate an action which will be completed before some point of time in the future. The auxiliary verbs “shall have” and “will have” are the auxiliary verbs which must be used.
“He will have finished his work by noon tomorrow.”
Friday
VERBS - ACTIVE & PASSIVE VOICE
“Active voice” refers to a sentence in which the subject is the doer of the action.
“He shoots the fantastic monster with his ray gun.”
“He shot the fantastic monster with his water pistol.”
“He will shoot the fantastic monster with something else because it is still alive.”
“Passive voice” refers to a sentence in which the subject is the receiver of the action.
Only transitive verbs can be changed to passive voice because the object does the action.
“He is shot by the fantastic monster when he raises his head.”
“He was shot by the fantastic monster because he was careless.”
“He will be shot again by the fantastic monster if he tries to run.”
WORTH REMEMBERING
“It is only the ignorant who despise education.”
Publilius Syrus, circa 100 BC, created this phrase.
LAST WEEK’S WORDS
“Languorous” (adj.) means lazy, sleepy, dreamy or lethargic.
“Integrity” (n.) refers to honesty, honour, veracity or truth.
“Susceptible” (adj.) means vulnerable, at risk, prone to or predisposed.
“Scathe” (v.) means to attack with severe criticism, to hurt, to harm or to injure. The word is usually seen in the present participial form of “scathing”, as in a scathing glance.
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